KX-R vs 380S

[jax4736]

enatai252, looking forward to your impressions.

I've auditioned the KX-R at my dealer and notice details hitherto unnoticed on recordings I am very familiar with. Since my listening room is relatively small - 14'x17' - I am focusing on upgrading from my Ayre K-5xeMP preamp to either the Ayre KX-R or Ref5SE.

[BillK]

I like the idea of the KX-R, as you don't have the annual tube replacements that you would with the Ref 5 SE, which would cost about $400/year if you use ARC's tubes.

[jax4736]

I thought a preamp wouldn't need retubing as often as a power amp. I like to leave my Ayre gear powered on all the time, as I can walk into my listening cave anytime and just starting playing.

Ayre's approach to volume (VGT) intrigues me but my ears tell me something special indeed is going on there.

[BillK]

ARC "recommends" replacement of preamp tubes every 5000 hours.

24 * 365 = 8760.

That having been said, I know many ARC owners who go two years or more on a set of preamp tubes, but the Ref 5 also uses tubes in the power supply, and those most likely will go at the most two years; my dealer's experience with his Ref 5 is the power supply tubes fail every 16-18 months or so when the unit is left on continuously, but he has over 15,000 hours on the audio preamp tubes.

Power amp tubes need replacement more often, and even today have a bad habit of sometimes taking out other electronic components (with attendant smoke and sparks) in the amp if they fail catastrophically.

[BillK]

Originally Posted by enatai252

The Ref5SE is currently in another system...although both have ARC REF amps and Wilson speakers. It only has about 25 hours on it...but as I break it in I will provide some comparisons to the Ayre. I will say that both are very good...and you can't go wrong with either.

Four months later, any further updates on the sound of the KX-R vs. the sound of the Ref 5 SE?

[enatai252]

Originally Posted by BillK

Four months later, any further updates on the sound of the KX-R vs. the sound of the Ref 5 SE?

Sadly I have not gotten much time to listen to any of my systems. The Ref 5SE and Ref 40 are up at the cabin and my hope is to compare these two soon. I only have 60 hours on the Ref 40 and slightly more on Ref 5.

At home...my hope is to compare the KXR with the Moon 850P. These are in two different systems and will bring the Moon down to main system soon for the shoot out. The KXR with the Ref250s and Sasha is incredible and will be hard to beat. The Ayre adds very little to the sound character...and is the closest I have heard to straight wire with gain. The Moon is close but may add a slight dark character(in different system) much like the 380S did when I had it. It does have a great volume control and is dead quiet with a low noise floor. Both seem to be a great match to tube amps.

The ARC preamps are also great....and seem to add more air and space to the soundstage. The Ref 40/ref 150 combo is pure magic. I could live with that combo indefinitely

More to come...but first I want to get the MXRs in the mix along with Ref DAC

[enatai252]

Originally Posted by jax4736

enatai252,

I would be interested in your detailed comparison of the Ref5 & the KX-R. I am contemplating purchasing either of these. I am currently using an Ayre 5-series system and want a reference preamp (I want more inputs than the K-5 offers, and have loved what I've heard of the KX-R at my local dealer so far).

Serge,

As a current (former?) owner of the KX-R I'd be interested in your thoughts as well, if it's not too much trouble to ask.

If I was using SS amps I would go with the Ref5SE...as I believe it adds a little air to the performers and a magic to the midrange that sounds more natural. If you had good tube amps that the KXR would be my choice as its dead quiet and adds very little character to the presentation and no restriction to the soundstage.

[BillK]

Note that the Ref 5 SE does still have a little crosstalk (sound heard from another input when at unity gain on another) something not the case on the KX-R because of the way it disconnects inputs by lifting their grounds when that input isn't selected.

[uwbadger]

Originally Posted by enatai252

BillK,

If you are looking to save money and are happy with the 380S than I would keep it and invest funds towards more software...As I mentioned before, I have owned both and the KX-R has a lower noise floor, better decay and resolution, throws a wide and detailed soundstage and will sound more transparent than the 380S. But you are also talking about spending almost twenty thousand $$$$. Not sure what other gear you have but the 380S may not be the biggest limitation in your system...and for 20K...you may be able to make multiple smaller improvements which yield a bigger improvement overall. If you are really looking for a better preamp...than the KX-R, ML32 on used market, ARC REF5SE or REF40 or the Simaudio P-8 or 850P...are all better performers than the 380S. But to what degree in your system and whether that is worth the price is up to you. Good luck

I have owned the 380S and now own the KX-R, Ref 5SE, Ref 40 and Simaudio 850P all in different systems although the Ref 5 is being displaced by the Ref 40...and the 850P is not here yet. I spent about a month with the ML32 and was going to upgrade over the 380S about 9 years ago...but went with the ARC Ref 2 mk2 instead.

Could you compare ref5se vs kxr with mxr's?

[uwbadger]

Thx